If you are surfing through this spirit animal list or animals and their meanings, most of you are definitely aware of its basic concept. For the ones who are not, here’s a quick background:
Spirit Animal Meaning
SUMMARY
Spirit animals are divine pilots on your journey of life. It relates to you with its unique skills and characteristics and manifests itself to help you overcome the challenges on your spiritual walk.
Following the golden rule of ‘Everything is connected’, Native Americans believe that each of us travels with a cadre of spirit guides. There are angels, mythical creatures, ancestors, and then there are animal totems, plants, and light beings.
Spirit animals also known as power animals or spirit guides is your spiritual teacher or messenger in an animal form. Each individual or a person has one of its own, defined by your birth date or zodiac sign. People lookup for a spirit animal list for various purposes – guidance, protection, power or even wisdom.
They often carry a hidden meaning which is hidden in plain sight which we will discuss later in this article. So, if lately who have been bumping into an unusual breed of animal, it is most likely your spirit animal.
102 Spirit Animal List [Animal Symbolism List]
Now that you know the basics, let’s move onto the crux, i.e. the spirit animal list or animal symbolism list. As mentioned above, there are thousands and thousands of spirit animals each with its own significance. Here’s a list of the most common ones.
1. Ant: Diligence, unity, patience, self-control, sacrifice, loyalty and honesty.
2. Alligator: Retribution, creativity, efficiency, hostility, bravery, and efficiency
3. Anaconda: Balance, immortality, patience, power, wisdom, cunning, and elusiveness.
4. Albatross: Liberated, travel, limitless, good fate, sensitive and thoughtfulness.
5. Antelope: Efficacious, energetic, defensive, perceptive, keen eyesight and risk-taker.
6. Armadillo: Sensitive, defensive, trustworthy, calm, isolated and humble.
7. Beaver: Determined, visionary, defensive, inventor, fantasizer and subliminal.
8. Buffalo: Divine, strength, balance, thankfulness, wealth and firmness.
9. Bat: Ego, fear, challenge, keen-observation, inner-depth, illusion and clairvoyance.
10. Bear: Power, Bravery, understanding, peace, aggressive, authority, solitude and majesty.
11. Bee: Communication, love, success, wisdom, wealth, hard work, protection and chastity.
12. Black Swan: empathy, freedom, joy, dignity, loyalty and exposition.
13. Butterfly: Joy, romance, celebration, transformation, spirituality, creativity, and peace.
14. Bluebird: Flexibility, innovative, kindness, thankfulness, togetherness and glory.
15. Bull: Fertility, expressive, strength, courage, procurement and hasty.
16. Cardinal: Cheerful, brilliant, bold, extraordinary, dignity and trust.
17. Camel: Endurance, trust, commitment, determination, focus, humility, patience, and durability.
18. Cheetah: Quick thinking, passion, flexibility, quick-witted, freedom, progress, and protection.
19. Cat: Magic, curiosity, affection, observational-skills, secretive, supernatural, and mystery.
20. Cougar: Patience, observation, sensuality, courage, responsible, dependable and spiritual warrior.
21. Cuckoo: Flexibility, love, fortune, balance, shrewdness and insightful.
22. Caribou: Nomad, flexibility, sensitive, guidance and assurance.
23. Crane: Isolated, integrity, endurance, attentive, self- reliant and wisdom.
24. Crow: Magical, fearless, adaptability, manipulative, wisdom and transformation.
25. Deer: Love, generosity, elegance, grace, compassion, caring, safety, and determination.
26. Dove: Purity, gentleness, devotion, hope, love, communication, peace, and sacrifice.
27. Dog: Loyalty, bravery, friends, affection, protection, communication, patience, and devotion.
28. Dolphin: Harmony, defensive, assistance, resurgence, lively and strength.
29. Dragon: Transformation, defensive, motivational, authoritative, magical and strength.
30. Dragonfly: Transformation, lively, flexibility, connection, emotional and illusionary.
31. Eagle: Goal-oriented, focused, adventurous, resilient, vision, power and freedom.
32. Elephant: Strength, loyalty, determination, confidence, honor, pride, dignity, and royalty.
33. Emu: Flexibility, unity, expressive, lively, equality and transit.
34. Elk: Strength, self-reliant, cleverness, magnificent, generosity and dignity.
35. Falcon: Goal-oriented, fearless, authoritative, freedom, intelligence and victory.
36. Flamingo: Balance, goal-oriented, clear-sightedness, love, power, balance, and happiness.
37. Fox: Quick-witted, wisdom, luck, cleverness, curiosity, cunning, adaptability, and playfulness.
38. Frog: Transformation, sensitivity, peace, fertility, cleansing, rebirth, peace and power.
39. Gazelle: Alert, swift, consciousness, anticipation, refinement and lightness.
40. Goat: Firmness, self-reliant, isolated, vigor, alert and strength.
41. Grasshopper: Good fate, wealth, innovative, visionary, dynamic and progressive.
42. Giraffe: Individuality, intelligence, peace, farsightedness, cleverness, gentleness and patience.
43. Goose: Joy, bravery, guidance, fertility, loyalty, reliability, teamwork, vigilance, and wisdom.
44. Goldfinch: Courageous, defensive, dedication, happiness, luck and originality.
45. Hawk: Vision, alertness, nobility, cleansing, goal-oriented, strength, creativity and courage.
46. Hedgehog: Protection, flexibility, patience, kindness, strength and self-dependent.
47. Hippopotamus: strength, protection, wisdom, hard-working, fertile and balance.
48. Horse: Freedom, adventurous, freedom, mobility, independence, friendship and endurance.
49. Heron: Independent, balance, calm, intrusive, multi-tasking and self-determined.
50. Hummingbird: Flexibility, love, wisdom, hope, healing, ability, ecstasy, and aggression
51. Inchworm: Logical, transformation, subtlety, concealment, and transmutation.
52. Jellyfish: Faith, transparency, illumination, acceptance, sensitivity, protection and intention.
53. Jaguar: Power, loyalty, speed, strength, grace, knowledge, fertility and rejuvenation.
54. Koala: Gratitude, healing, calmness, trust, empathy, magic, protection and pleasure.
55. Kiwi: Alert, fidelity, authoritative, cultural, genius and togetherness.
56. Ladybug: Good fate, true love, innocence, metamorphosis, pious intervention and illusionary.
57. Lion: Pride, courage, power, natural-born leaders, authority, dignity, wisdom, and fiery.
58. Lizard: Imagination, spirituality, sensitivity, adaptability, ego, intrusion, and quick-witted.
59. Loon: Patience, calm, connection, faithfulness, satisfaction and refreshment.
60. Magpie: Flexibility, communicative, fate, love, opportunity and attitude.
61. Monkey: Bold, confident, social, compassionate, playful, aggressive, creative and rebellious.
62. Moose: Endurance, intelligence, dignity, feminine, strength and impulsive.
63. Mosquito: Persistence, feminine, agility, direction, detection, self-confidence, and blunt.
64. Mouse: Stealth, modesty, understanding, dishonest, grounded, eye-for-details and innocence.
65. Mockingbird: Expression, thankfulness, defensive, lively, creativity and togetherness.
66. Meadowlark: Satisfaction, joy, wisdom, carousal, modesty and manifestation.
67. Orangutan: Creativity, gentle, solitude, ingenuity, honorable and logical.
68. Opossum: Wisdom, sensible, humble, togetherness, extraordinary and decisive.
69. Otter: Lively, cheerful, kindness, sensibility, dynamic and happiness.
70. Ox: Sacrifice, monogamy, grounded, longevity, strength and loyalty.
71. Osprey: Balance, visionary, potentiality, rigor, timing and opportunity.
72. Owl: Wisdom, secret-keeper, freedom, comfort, stealth, vision, protection and deception.
73. Panda: Adaptability, balance, determination, willpower, diplomacy, inner-sight, and solitude.
74. Panther: Courage, valor, power, protective, aggressive and feminine.
75. Peacock: Beauty, knowledge, self-esteem, foresight, endurance, royalty, love and sexuality.
76. Penguin: Community-minded, grace, discipline, confidence, sacrifice, spiritual and determination.
77. Pelican: Strong, selfless, warmth, responsible, defensive and kindness.
78. Porcupine: Innocence, visionary, self-involved, humble, togetherness and anxious.
79. Rabbit: Creativity, prosperity, intensity, love, cleverness, sensitivity, harmony, and imagination.
80. Rat: Kindness, fertility, foresight, intelligence, abundance, strength, success, and stealth.
81. Ram: Aloof, sensitive, hard-working, anxious, visionary and transformation.
82. Rhinoceros: Intelligence, isolated, decisive, endurance, liberated and insightful.
83. Raccoon: confidentiality, illusionary, bravery, emphatic, versatility and protection.
84. Reindeer: Accomplishment, abundance, endurance, strength, faith, tenacity and protection.
85. Rooster: Fearless, unique, intimacy, ego, nonconformity and intrusive.
86. Snake: Impulsive, power, shrewdness, transformation, magic, fear, wisdom and healing.
87. Salmon: Dignity, seriousness, intelligence, resurgence, spiritual and firmness.
88. Swan: Grave, purity, love, beauty, power, elegance, devotion, calmness and balance.
89. Spider: Patience, creativity, protection, growth, aptitude, networking, balance and wisdom.
90. Sheep: Compassion, peace, purity, courage, progress, level-headed and humble.
91. Squirrel: Playful, social, balance, passionate, trust, hardworking, and resourcefulness.
92. Stork: Resurgence, creativity, responsibility, boldness, protective and fertility.
93. Tiger: Valor, power, pride, devotion, fearlessness, vigor, passion and royalty.
94. Turtle: Wisdom, patience, speed, endurance, fertility, longevity, protection and peace.
95. Turkey: gratification, generosity, connection, togetherness, hard-working and wealth.
96. Tarantula: Creativity, patience, self-protection, transformation, and intimidation.
97. Unicorn: Magic, love, faith, vision, innocence, purity, gentleness and grace.
98. Vulture: Loyalty, patience, quick-witted, goal-oriented, trust, vision, and perception.
99. Wasp: Aggressive, creative, fertility, intelligence, teamwork, enthusiasm and determination.
100. Wolf: Protection, partnership, loyalty, compassion, spirituality, togetherness, and power.
101. Whale: Wisdom, power, strength, self-reliance, protection, bravery and ancestry.
102. Woodpecker: Intelligence, healing, unique, connection, revelation and perception
NOTE
This is not an exhaustive spirit animal list, which means there can be other power animals that are not included in this list but are still in play. This is majorly because of their (very) less probability of appearance or likeness from a human being.
What’s the Whole Purpose of a Spirit Animal?
There are thousands of spirit animals each with its defined set of qualities ranging from reptiles, wild animals to even insects. In the world of spirituality, it is often said:
‘You don’t choose the animal; the animal chooses you.’
Irrespective of the kind, power animals have just one vision in mind: to help you achieve your spiritual goals. When you are determined or goal-oriented to your destined purpose (or dharma), they appear (not necessarily in physical form) and guide you to the end line.
They are here to protect you, guide you, teach you in every possible manner. You just need to keep all your senses active and comprehend their presence.
How Can You Spot Your Spirit Animal?
Even if you are now aware of the meanings of various animal symbolism list and what these animals symbolize, it will serve no purpose to you unless you know how to identify your own. So how do you do it?
Ask your animal guide to manifest itself!
You need to stay aware of 24*7 and take note of all the appearances of the animal whether physically or symbolically. You might repetitively encounter them in different forms. Say for instance you bumped into a channel that is describing butterflies.
Then, the next morning you spot a butterfly on your way back home. You also walk into a store that has a beautiful butterfly wallpaper. You wear a dress with a butterfly patch, without giving it a thought. All of this combined means just one this – the butterfly wants to talk to you.
Define your intention and ask your spirit animal to show itself to you. You can also seek help from a shaman or any other licensed energy healer for some guidance. A major part of this process depends on your capability to pay attention to both past and present, your inner knowledge and spiritual understanding
But, all along the journey of finding your own spirit animal, don’t forget this paraphrase of animal guides (as mentioned above): You don’t choose the animal, the animal chooses you.
Questions to Ask Yourself to Identify Your Own Power Spirit Animal
A lot of times, people have a certain liking towards a particular animal, primarily for its traits or characteristics. It might be because you are spiritually drawn towards it. If not, here are questions that you must ask yourself if you’re wondering about your spirit animal.
- Do you feel naturally drawn towards a particular animal, like its calling you? You might or might not have a reason for it. It can be anything, from a mosquito to an elephant or even mythical creatures like unicorns.
- Do you often see a particular animal in various forms like in your dreams, or on animal shows or on the cards you receive?
- When you visit a zoon or an animal sanctuary or a forest, which animal is on the top of your must-watch list?
- Is there a particular animal, the sight of which is extremely frightening or intimidating?
- Do paintings or figures of a particular animal attract you?
- Is there an animal that keeps appearing in your dreams or is there a dream (about an animal) from your childhood that you are unable to forget?
- Is there an animal who has attached you or bitten you at some point in your life?
How Do Spirit Animals Make Themselves Known?
Now when you have introspected yourself, you need further validation of whether or not the animal that you think is your spirit animal. For that, you must know the forms in which spirit animals make themselves known. These are a few of the ways:
- Dreams or visions
- Physical encounters (mostly in odd places)
- During deep meditation
- Advertisements, billboards, TV, mobile phones, etc.
- All the other sense-cues (smell, touch, taste, hearing, intuition)
The first one is the most dominant form because if you dream of a particular animal repeatedly, it surely isn’t just a coincidence. Your spirit animal is trying to convey something to you.
Depending on the spirit animal, if you spot an animal at really odd places or bump into the same animal continuously – it surely is a call!
Images during meditation is a very strong indicator. Since meditation already holds a very strong place in spirituality, your spirit animal’s blurry images with your eyes closed is not a bad omen.
Pictures on TV when you are browsing channels, on mobile phones when you are scrolling social media, on billboards when you are passing-by a busy street – if you notice the same animal, it’s time to open your spirit animal list to see what the animal symbolizes.
The last one is the toughest because most of us are not-so conscious with our other senses. Thus, for you to identify a trend via sounds or smell or even taste – you need to be extremely active (spiritually!)
Leveraging the Powers of The Spirit Animal List
Can spirit animal be a human?
Yes. Since humans are technically animals, your spirit guide can also be a human.
Remember when you are off on a long drive and your tire punctures. Then suddenly out of nowhere a guy or girl appears to help you change a tire. The spirit animal is that in your life. They appear to fix you, encourage you and guide you in the right direction. Every spirit comes in your life with a purpose and vanishes once it is fulfilled. The reason why the relationship so developed is short-lived.
Is it possible to have multiple spirit animals?
Yes. Just like people, even animals in your life will be determined with the goals you are destined to achieve and challenges that are placed on your path.
At different phases of your life, different animals will guide you, each working with a similar motive: to help you reach the end line.
There’s no upper or lower limit for the number of animals you will encounter in your lifetime. It entirely depends on your own spiritual awareness. A spirit animal will try to drop multiple signs and capture your attention but if you keep dismissing these signs as mere co-incidences, it’s not going to hang around for your reply.
Can it be defined in the form of ‘spirit animal by month’ or your zodiac sign?
Yes. Spirit animals depend on your birth sign or zodiac sign and are often referred to as birth animals. Since your birth is defined by month, the spirit animal list is naturally categorized by month.
It widely depends on the astrology system that you follow: Native American, Chinese, Western or Celtic.
So say, for instance, if you are born between the periods of time of 20th March – 19th April, your spirit animal by month will be Ram since your Zodiac sign is Aries. Similarly, for each birth sign, there will be a different spirit animal. This means if you are a Gemini, your birth animal will be a Phoenix. On the other hand, for Taurus, Bull will be their animal guide.
Here’s a detailed dig on ‘spirit animal by birthday’ by whatismyspiritanimal, if you wish to explore.
How will you understand the message of your spirit animal?
Spirit animals mostly communicate in the non-verbal language and the messages so delivered are highly personal. To discern the meaning, you must first know what is the first thing that pops up in your mind when you think of your spirit animal.
If you associate peacock with its beauty, then the message might here be about your physical beauty. Or if you associate an elephant with its heavyweight, your spirit animal might be trying to warn you about the baggage that awaits you.
However, if the creature is unknown to you, then lookup for the spirit animal list in a book or on the internet with meaning, religious connotations, symbolism, etc.
If either of these steps fails you and you still feel the disconnect, here’s what you can do: Try to mimic the animal, think about it during meditation or read in books.
What to do once you figure out the message?
Now, that’s totally in your court. Once you have uncovered the message from your spirit animal, what you want to do with it will be entirely your own decision. You can wait for other messages or take immediate action, depending on the situation.
Other Things to Keep in Mind about Spirit Animals
- They don’t always appear for a reason. Sometimes they just stop by to say hello on special occasions, say your birthday or any other important event of your life.
- Spirit animals may return to you more than once as the situation demands. It might either be to increase your rapport or complete a half-delivered message.
- If there are cases that you lose sight of your spirit animal suddenly, you need to introspect yourself and ask if anything that you have done shows signs of disrespect. You can mend the broken only when you know where the crack is.
- Sometimes, a spirit animal may leave in the middle to make way for a creature that can deliver the message more efficiently. This means the spirit animal who entered your life initially has served its purpose.
- There are also seasonal spirit animals that may appear to guide you through cycle energies. A baby Bunny in Spring or Penguin in Winter can be the best example.
- They work cooperatively. Honor the nature of your animal guides and you will be able to work with them in harmony.
- There can be times when you are surrounded by more than one spirit animal. Each of them must have a different message to communicate – so listen to them carefully and maintain accordance.
Now Go, Find Your Own!
There’s no denying that there is a universal power guiding and protecting us all. Spirit animals are a version of this dive power that exists to help us get back on the track.
With the break of a new day, it’s time for you to embark on the journey to find your power animal. It is calling out for you; you just need to be more aware of your surroundings and believe that everything happens for a reason!
These encounters can be really synchronistic only if you know what these animals symbolize and try to convey.
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